Better accessibility
For the very young, the very old, those with dyslexia, those with cognitive disabilities and the computer illiterate - being told what to click on will ensure that the navigation is used correctly.
Whereas drop down menus, mouse-over navigation, highlighted words may not lead to the correct, if any, response.
Progressive step
Particularly for online shopping, or completion of forms phrases such as: ‘click here to proceed to checkout’ ‘click here to buy this’ clearly direct the reader to the next stage in the process.
This might also be reinforced with ‘click to step 2’ and indicating that it is, say, a four part process.
Call to action
Take for example ‘click now for our free quote’ - in advertising parlance this is a ‘call to action’. The advertising industry has used this persuasive technique for years.
Marketing and advertising students are taught that every advert should have a ‘call to action’ at the end of the copy to drive the reader to follow through. Tell people what to do and, like sheep, they tend to do as they are told – and that’s a fact.
Some webmasters know that if you use a ‘click here’ link once on a page it will result in a higher click through rate, than not using this phrase.
So, for example, if you have an intranet and are anxious to get readers to check out the new terms for the company’s pension – then try using ‘Click here to read about how the changes will affect you’.
But only use this once – or this trick won’t work.
You can copy test the wording of links – one week with – and one week without - and compare the click through rates on the server stats.
Other call to action words may be preferable though. Consider ‘View example’, ‘Sign up now’, ‘Take a look!’ ‘Try for free today’ and there are plenty more that are more descriptive than ‘Click here’.
Banner research confirmation
Research into web banner advertising shows that the single most effective way to boost response is to use the words ‘click here’ on the ad.
In part this may help the reader recognise that the graphic is in fact an advert, but the inclusion of the words are also a call to action and statistically proven to be an irresistible persuader.